1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automated mailing systems which include a postage value determining system processor interconnected to a postage scale and peripheral devices. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a systems interface which facilitates communications between a system processor adapted to communicate with peripherals along parallel communications channels in a modified environment wherein alternate peripherals employing a serial communications bus are utilized.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
During the development design stages of various automated mailing systems, systems were created to meet the needs of particular applications and to be compatible with various peripheral devices available at the time.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,470 entitled Serial Data Bus for Use in Multiprocessor Parcel Postage Metering System issued June 2, 1981 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, an automated mailing system which included a postage value determining system processor and peripherals such as a meter setting device for moving postage meter levers; the meter setting device was controlled by an individual subsystem processor. The system processor communicated along a serial data but with the various subsystem processors.
Electronic postage meters which did not require meter setting devices were also developed. A typical electronic postage meter was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,457 entitled Microcomputerized Electronic Postage Meter System, issued Aug. 31, 1976 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Such electronic postage meter was compatible for use as a peripheral device in the subsequently developed mailing system of the copending application previously referred to herein, Ser. No. 235,252, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,079.
The mailing system disclosed in such copending application was not, however, capable of communicating with the serial data bus to effect control of the operation of the meter setting device and other peripherals disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,470. As a result, a potential purchaser of a mailing system which included a desired scale having a postage value determining system processor was not able to select many of the currently available peripheral devices due to the incompatibility of the communications systems.